Separable cuff button



Aug. 3, 1926. 1,595,053

F. A. BALLOU, JR

SEPARABLB CUFF BUTTON Filed June 15. 1925 IIIIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIlIIIIIIlIIIIIII/IIIII 6; Illlh lliilllllllllllllfll Ill INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented 3, 1926.

UNHTED STATES PATENT @FFEQE.

FREDERICK A. BALLOT)", JR, OF PROVIDENCE, RI-IODE ISLAND, ASSIGR'OR TO B. A. BALLOU 85 (30., INCL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A COREORATZON O11" RHODE ISLAND.

SEPARAIBLE CUFF BUTTON.

Application filed June 15, 1925. Serial No. 37,149.

This invention relates to an improved con- V struction of separable button; and has for its object to provide such a button which comprises interengaging stud and socket members which may be separated by a relative rotating movement in either direction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a button which comprises interengaging stud and socket members which may be connected by an axial movement and separated only by a relative rotating movement A further object of the invention is the forming of stud and socket members with notches in one of the members forming abutments to be yieldably engaged by resilient means in the other member whereby the two button members may be released from each other by a relative rotating motion of said members in either direction.

A. still further object of the invention is the com'iecting of the stud and socket 1nembers of my improved cuff button, whereby they are positively locked together against an axial separating movement but are permitted a relative rocking movement and yet whereby the different head members of the button are free to conform to the converging planes of the cuff.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation illustrating two members of a cuff link connected together by my improved means.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the two members of the button separated.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the post projection removed from the stud member showing the different arrangements of notches therein.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the face of the post disposed at right angles to that shown in Figure 3, to better illustrate the relative positions of the different sets of notches in the post.

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 3, illustrating one arrangement of the notches in the post.

Figure 6 is a. section on line 6-6 of F igure l illustrating the set of notches posit oned at right angles to those illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a section on line 77 of Figure 3, illustrating the notches in the post for receiving the edges of the locking plate which secure the post in its stud member.

Figure 8 is a perspectiveview of the plate which secures this stud in its button member.

Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Figure 1 illustrating one arrangement of the resilient locking means for engaging the different sets of notches inthe stud member.

Figure 10 is a sectional view on line 10-10 of Figure 1, illustrating the roughened inner surface of the outer head.

Figure 11 is a side elevation of a post with modified form of slots.

Figure 12 is a side elevation partly in sec tion of a modified construction showing the notches on the inner surface of a tubular socket and a spring gripping member for engagement therewith.

It is found in the practical construction and operation of separable buttons of this character, of advantage to be able to position and connect the opposite members of the button by a simple axial movement and to positively lock these members against inadvertent separation; also to provide a simple and effective means whereby these two button members may be readily separated by a relative rotating movement thereof, which movement releases the cooperating engaging members in these button members thus permitting the button members to be readily separated without the operation of other releasing mechanism. It is also found of advantage to so mount these button members one upon the other as to permit relative rocking movement between them so that these members may be set at an angle to each other to conform to the converging planes of the opposite sides of the cuff to which they are attached. Also, it is found of advantage to serrate, knurl, or roughen the under surfaceof the outer head of either one or both of the button members ii-hereby an axial separating movement of one member relative to the other will cause this roughened surface to engage the fabric and so assist in preventing a relative movement of that member during a releasing rotating movement of the opposite-member which enables the members to be released and esprated by manual engagement with but 0-. of the members; and the following a detailed description of the present embodiment of my invention and showing one construction by which the above advantageous results may be accomplished Vith reference to the drawings, deslgnates the stud member and 11 the socket member of my improved separable cuff button, each having outer head 12 and an inner head 13. lhe socket member 11 is provided with a tubular shank portion 14: flanged at its inner end as at 15 and the edge of this flange is turned inwardly as at 16. (Ever this inturned edge 16 is positioned a cap 17 having a concaved outer surface, the cap resting against the outer edge 18 of this edge 16 and having its edge 19 rolled over the back of the flange if) to lock the two together. Also, the stock at the central portion o this cap is turned inwardly as at 20 to provide a collar having slots 21 through which the loops of the spring extend forming a resilient means for engagement with the notches in the projection or post, present y described.

The stud member 10 of the button is also formed with a tubular shank portion having a laterally extending end flange 25 with its edges turned outwardly as at 26 and over these edges is positioned a cap 27 having a concaved outer surface to cooperate with the concaved surface 1'? to permit of a relative tilting action of the button members which rests on the edges of the flange 26. the inner edges of the cap being rolled over the back of the flange 25 to lock the two together and provide chamber between the cap and the flange in which is mountet the post or projection retaining plate 28, which plate is slotted as at 29 to fit into the notches 30 in the projection 23, the plate :28 being provided with an annular oifset portion 34 which takes up the space between the flange 25 and the cap 27 so as to bind these plates firmly in position therebetween.

In the tubular shank 2d of this stud memher, I have set the inner end of the projection or post 31 and locked the same therein by means of the locking plate 28, as above described. The outer end of this post extending a substantial distance beyond the face of the cap 27 of its member to project into the tubular shank let of the opposite member. This projection is provided with a pluralitv of sets of abu'tments which may be formed by notches or recesses 32 arranged in parallel rows, the notches in one row being staggered relatively to the notches in the next row and slightly overlapping the notches in the next row. Each of these notches is preferably shaped so that the button walls of the notches form an acute angle in vertical section, one of the walls of the angle being disposed at substantially right angles to the axis of the post forming a shouldered abutment which is engaged by the spring portions 22 to retain the members of the button in assembled position. Further, the bottom wall of the notches extend along the length of the post and are preferably concaved so as to provide a means for tending to prevent a relative rotation of the stud and socket members and to cause the spring to flex and move outwardly against its inherent tension upon a relative turning movement of the spring and post so as to prevent accidental rotative movement.

By this arrangement of the difiere'nt sets of notches disposed in staggered relation about the surface of the post with the square shoulder of the notch towards the entering end of the post the two members of the button may be connected by a relative atrial movement. thereof but-can be separated only by a relat'ye rotating movement of the two members which causes the shoulders of the spring to ride out o't engagement with the alnitment of the notches onto the higher portions of the surface of the stud which then permits a relative axial movement for a short distance until engaged by another set of notches of different series which in turn prevents further asial movement until another rotating movement of the parts re moves the spring from these notches, by which structure it will be seen that a combined rotating and axial novement must be imparted to the members in order to effect a separation of the button parts. This to tating movement, however, as will be seen, may be in either direction in order to cause the spring to ride out of the notches'of one series onto the inclined portions of the'notches of anot er series which are staggered relatively thereto. It will also be seen that a relative rotative moven'ient of the members which causes the spring to ride from one notch into another notch to engage the inclined wall of the second notch causes a stepby-step separating axial movement of said members as the spring pressing inwardly tends to move along the i'i'iclined'surface.

In some instances, it is found of advantage to knurl, or roughen the under surface 33 of either or both of the outer heads 12 of the button members so that when one of the heads is engaged by the operator and given a rotating motion about the axis the roughened surface of the opposite head will engage the fabric to assist in preventing a relative rotating movement of this member to thereby facilitate the separating movement of the button by manual engagement of but one of the members of the button by the hand of the operator.

The portions 22 of the spring 23 do not bottom in the recesses or notches in the proj ection but extend into the notches but a portion of the depth thereof and also the ten-- sion of this spring is such that the tendency of the spring to axially align the button members is less than the tendency of the buttonhole portions of the end to stand at an angle so that the heads of the button members are readily permitted to rock and stand at an angle to conform to the plane of the cuffs in which they are mounted.

In some cases the notches in the projection of the stud member may have abutting walls for contacting with the spring upon a movement in either direction and also a bottom wall substantially parallel to the axis as shown at 35, in Figure 11, in which case it will be necessary to impart a relative rotative and push or pull movement to the button members in securing or separating the two, but. which may readily be done with the button members. 7

In some instances, as illustrated in figure 12, a tubular socket 36 may be provided with ab-utments in the form of notches 37 in its inner surface arranged similar to the notches in the post 31 described above, and the stud 38 provided with spring arms 39 for entering the tubular socket and engaging the notches.

My improved cult button is extremely simple and inexpensive in construction, is very strong and durable and by its use the two members of the button are positively locked together against axial separation but which may be readily separated by a combined relative rotating'and axial movement of these members thus positively preventing the members from inadvertent separation. Also, it will be noted that my improved con struction readily lends itself so that the members of the button may be readily rolled one upon the the other and set at an angle to each other so that the members thereof will readily conform to the converging planes of the different parts of the cuff engaged by them.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

In my copending application Serial No. 29,634- maturing into a patent even date herewith, I have broader and more generic claims to this invention, while in my copending application Serial No. 64,755, maturing into a patent of even date herewith, I have more specific claims to a slight modification of this invention.

I claim:

1. A separable button comprising stud and socket members each having a head, resilient means located in the head of said socket members, a projection carried by said stud member for extending into said socket member, and abutment means on said projection located to be engaged by said resilirelative rotative movement of said members to permit a separating movement thereof.

3. A separable button comprising stud and socket members each having a head, resilient means located in the head of said socket member, a projection carried by said stud member for extending into said socket member, spaced abutment means on said projection located in staggered relation to be engaged by said resilient means upon an axial interengaging movement of said mem- 53 bers to prevent axial separating movement thereof. i

4. A separable cuff button comprising stud and socket members each having inner and outer heads, resilient means located in one of the heads of said socket member, a projection carried by said stud member for extending into said socket member, spaced abutment means on said projection located in staggered relation to be engaged by said resilient means upon an axial interengaging movement of said members to prevent axial separating movement thereof, and means adjacent said abutment means for causing said resilient means to flex by a relative rotative movement of said members to permit a separating movement thereof.

5. A separable cuflf button comprising stud and socket members each having inner and outer heads, resilient means located in one of the heads of said socket member, projection carried by said stud member for extending into said socket member, spaced abutment means on said projection located in staggered overlapping relation to be engaged by said resilient means upon an axial interengaging movement of said members to prevent axial separating movement thereof.

6. A separable cuff button comprising stud and stock'et members each having inner and outer heads, resilientmeans located in one of the heads of said socket member, a projection carried by said stud member for extending into said socket member, abutment means on said projection located to be engaged by said resilient means upon an axial interengaging movement of said members irrespective of their relative rotativs position-s about their axis to prevent axial separating movement thereof, and means cooperating With said resilient means "for causing a separating movement oi said members upon a relative rotative movement them :i.

7. A separable cuff button comprising stud and socket members each having inner and outer heaos, resilient means located in one of the heads or said socket member, a projection carried by said stud member for extending into said socket member, spaced abutment means on said projection located in staggered overlapping relation to be engaged by said resilient means upon an axial 'nterenga 'ing movement oi said members to prevent axial separating movement thereof, and means cooperating with said resilient means for causing a separating movement or said members upon a relative rotative move ment thereof.

8. A separable cuff button com arising stud and socket members each having inner and out-er heads, resilient means located in one of the heads oi said socket member, a projection carried b stud iii-ember "tor Xtending .into said socket member, abutment means on said prc' :tion located be engaged by said resilient means upon an axial intercngaging movement oi said members irrespective of their relative rotative positions about their axis to prevent axial separating movement thereof, and means cooperating with said rerilient means for causing a step'by-step separating movement of said members by a relative rotalive movement of said members.

9. A separable cuil' button comprising stud and socket members each having inner and outer heads, resilient means located in one of the heads of said socket member, a projection carried by said stud member 'li'or extending into said socket member, and rows of abutments carried by said projection. the abutments of one row staggered relatively to the abutments of the next row to be engaged by said resilient means.

10. A separable cull button comprising stud and socket members each having inner and outer heads, resilient means located in one of the heads of said socket member, a projection carried by said stud member for extending into said socket member, and rows of abutments carried by said projection, the abutments of one row staggered relatively to and overlapping the abutments of the next roW to be engaged by said resilient means.

11. A separable cut? button comprising interengaging stud and socket members each having inner and outer heads, staggered abutments carried by one of said members, resilient means carried by the inner head of the other of said members for engaging said abutments to prevent relative axial movement, and cooperating means acting between said members to cause a step-bystep separating movement of said members upon a relative rotation thereof.

12. A separable cuff button comprising interengaging stud and socket members, circumferential notch-cs in the surtace of one of said members arranged in staggered relation, resilient means carried by the inner head of the other of said members for engaging said notches.

13. A separable cull button comprising interengaging stud and socket members, circumferential notches in the surface of one of said members arranged in staggered relation, resilient means carried by the inner head of the other of said members for engaging said notches, said notches having a concave bottom Wall to retard rotation of said members.

1%. A separable button comprisingstud and socket members each having inner and outer heads, a projection on the stud memher having its end reduced and being of a length to extend slightly beyond the inner head 01 said socket member, notches in the projection, and resilient means in the inner head of said socket member extending into said notches a portion of the depth thereof, whereby said members'are loosely locked together to permit their axis to be disposed at an angle and their heads to conform to the planes oi the cull portion in which they are mounted.

15. A separable button comprising studand socket members each having a head, notches in the projection of tie stud member, and resilient means in the head of said socket member extending into said notches, said resilient means having an inherent spring tending to align the button members less than the normal tendency of the button-hole portions of the cuff to stand at an angle to each other whereby said members may be disposed at an angle and their heads conform to the plane of the cuff portion in which they are mounted.

16. A separable cull button comprising stud and socket members each having an outer head, cooperating engaging means in said members released by a relative rotative movement thereof, the inner surface of one of said head members being roughened to irictionally engage the out? to resist a releasing relative rota'tive movement of the opposite members.

17 A stud member of a separable cuil' button comprising a tubular shank, inner and outer heads at each end portion thereof, a post in said shank projecting beyond the inner head, and means located in said inner head for engaging and holding said post against rotation and in assembled position.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

FREDERICK A. BALLOU, JR.

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